Origin of Orbit
by SpyotaT'Val
Summary: Monsters, werewolves, Daddy issues and so much more. Insightful drabbles into the life of a little girl on Voyager.


Kristin is an original character that I created when I was eleven. She is a human/vulcan/betazoid/klingon genetic engineering miracle. In most of the stories that I have written about her she has been a teenager or young adult. Recently, I have started to imagine more of her earlier years on Voyager and came up with this little gem. I hope you enjoy this little fluffy drabble.

Monsters

"Mom! Mommy!"

It was cold, her blankets were soaked. She had had the dream again. Long scaly claws reaching for her. This time there had been no Chakotay to protect her. Four year old Kristin shivered as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She grabbed her stuffed elephant and walked softly into the living room. Uncle Neelix was snoring on the couch, whiskers twitching. She hesitated, if she woke him he would just tuck her back in bed and tell her some bizarre story. He wouldn't stroke her hair or rock her and hum to her (and if he did try to hum to her it would sound like a dying targ.) No, she needed Mommy, only she knew how to chase the monsters away. Quietly she slipped from her quarters. The moment the doors had closed she ran, her bare footsteps muted by the carpet.

"Bridge." She stated once on the turbolift. Kristin understood that her dreams weren't real, but the monsters from them were very real. Voyager had encountered them just over two weeks ago. They had tried to take over the ship. Jenny Delaney had been watching her when the monsters had boarded and Jenny had gotten stunned. Luckily, she knew where all of the access hatches were in her quarters and had adapted a device to help her open them. She had been halfway to sickbay when she had run into Chakotay. He had praised her for her quick thinking and led her the rest of the way. When they had gotten to sick bay one of the monsters grabbed Kristin and tried to take her away, but Chakotay had fought him. He reactivated the Doctor and instructed him to erect a force field around his office, so that Kristin would be protected. She hadn't wanted him to leave, she was afraid another of the monsters would try to take her. He had wrapped her in his strong arms calming her. Chakotay had explained that he had to go join the captain and retake command of the ship and then they would all be safe. Sniffling, she had nodded and let him go. Later, the Captain had explained that they weren't monsters and that they were gone. But, the nightmares made it seem like they had never left.

"Mommy!" Kristin bolted from the turbolift straight for the woman seated in the command chair.

"Krissy!" Captain Janeway exclaimed, leaning over to scoop her daughter into her arms. "What are you doing? What's wrong?"

Janeway took in the dampness of her nightgown and the way her dark curls lay plastered against her face and let out a heavy sigh. The encounter with the Tokage had fortunately been Kristin's first face to face experience with a hostile race, unfortunately they were dealing with the repercussions of that encounter. Kathryn thought she had felt something in the back of her mind. Tuvok had said most Vulcan children started to develop a mental bond with their mothers as early as in utero, but she and Kristin had just recently began to form theirs. It was taking some time to adjust and Kathryn couldn't always differentiate between her own thoughts and those of her daughters. However with the current physical contact, she could sense her thoughts clearly. "Bad dream again?"

Kristin nodded her face buried in the crook of Janeway's neck. It was her favorite spot, pressed the way she was she could smell her perfume and feel the vibrations whenever she spoke. She loved the low soothing sound of her mothers voice. "Mommy, may I stay please? I'll sit in your lap super still and I'll be quiet. Promise. I just want to hold you."

Janeway tried with difficulty to ignore the tug on her heart and contemplated her situation as the Starfleet officer she was trained to be. She glanced at her first officer who avoided her gaze and absently tugged on his earlobe in a poor attempt to hide his amusement. Her bridge shift would be over in just over an hour, she could just leave now or at least take her into her ready room. She was the Captain after all, but what kind of message would that send to her crew? Many of whom had begun to pair off and start families of their own and would be required to stay at their duty station despite whatever domestic issues may arise. Neelix was supposed to be watching her, no doubt he had fallen asleep again. She could ask one of the Delaney sisters, but she was pretty sure they were both on duty and that would make for the third time that week, not that they would mind. She sighed and once again questioned the wisdom of her choice to raise a child on a lone starship.

"I could take her back." Tom offered. "I have a break before I have to report to sickbay. I could sit with her until your shift is over."

Tom was good with Kristin. He could always get her to laugh and would often sacrifice his replicator rations to get her cookies.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Tom." Relieved Janeway moved to shift Kristin into Tom's waiting arms when Kristin locked her arms and legs around her neck and waist. Death grip. There would be no easy way of removing her short of sedation.

"No!" A soft but firm protest as she attempted to bury herself closer into Janeway's neck.

"I don't think anyone else is going to appease her." Chakotay said softly. He knew the stubbornness of a four year old was worse than negotiating with a Ferengi. Typically Kristin was an easy going child who moved with the flow of Voyager with very little protest, but being a Janeway when she dug her heels in about something there was very little that could change it.

"I can't just leave the bridge, Chakotay."

Chakotay shrugged. "Let her stay, it's only an hour. Besides, I have some reports on that class three dark matter nebula that we passed last week that I am sure I need assistance going over."

Kristin peeked up at Chakotay her striking amber eyes bright with anticipation. She loved going over sensor readings and complex equations. Janeway glanced around the bridge. Tuvok looked as if he wanted to quote Starfleet regulation: obscure; subsection: children should not be allowed on the bridge. Instead, he said something about running a diagnostic on the deflector array.

"I could use some help logging some of this sensor data, Captain." Harry perked up. Janeway threw Chakotay a look, as Kristin's eyes widened. Knowing she was defeated, Janeway shook her head.

"Let's not make this a habit, understood?" She said more to her bridge crew than to her daughter.

"Aye, Captain!" Kristin said, excitedly. Janeway ran a slender hand through Kristin's mass of hair careful not to pull at the ringlets that curled around her fingers. She could feel the love radiating from her now calmed daughter. No more monsters.


End file.
